A key to weight maintenance, weight loss and fitness is to increase your daily activity levels.
As the summer months approach and as we start shedding the many layers of clothing, let’s start working on our fitness goals and get into shape. Health and fitness can be a difficult battle because you have to keep up with a routine and make it a part of your lifestyle to see the major benefits. These recommendations may help you get closer to whatever health and fitness goal you have set for yourself. You will be surprised how little time it takes to feel a difference within your body with just a few small changes.
- Do not treat your fitness program as a short term goal to be achieved. Take it as a way of life. A key to weight maintenance, weight loss and fitness is to increase your daily activity levels. Taking the stairs rather than the elevator, walking rather than driving when possible, does help make a difference. Taking a nice walk around the neighborhood or a nearby park is a great way to stay fit, decrease stress, increase blood sugar response, and aid in a healthy metabolism. Going for a walk after dinner may aid in healthy digestion, as well as boost metabolism. Walking has proven to help people de-stress, allowing you to focus on your physical and mental health. It is a great time to relax and take care of your body after a long day.
- Do aerobic exercises which are exercises that get your heart-rate up the most. They will improve your body’s ability to handle physical exertion and make you healthier. Aerobic exercises will help you lose any weight and get into shape. You can bike, which is a great way to work out and get yourself outside. Try jogging or speed walking or swim, which is a great way to work out your whole body.
- Strength training may be one of the most beneficial components of exercising. Whether your goal is to maintain your current strength, increase lean muscle mass, or decrease fat mass, lifting weights and applying resistance on your body is fundamental to your health. Aim to strength train for 30 minutes about 2-3 times each week.
- Stretching our muscles is important in maintaining flexibility and staying fit. There are many different kinds of stretches and difficult muscles to stretch – from stretching your neck to your calves; each muscle group is just as important as the other. When static stretching, it is important to hold the stretch for at least thirty seconds to allow the muscle to relax and oxygen to get to the muscle. Waking up in the morning and starting with a few basic stretches is a great way to wake up your body, improve flexibility, and stay fit.
- When talking about fitness it is important to remember that 70-80% of success comes from nutrition. If you need to lose weight to get in shape, you will need to create a calorie deficit. This means that you will eat fewer calories than what is needed to maintain your weight, causing your body to begin burning fat. In a nutshell you should aim to avoid processed foods, minimize sugar, salt and unhealthy fats; increase lean proteins and increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables. Set weekly nutrition goals for yourself and see what you can achieve! Do not follow fad diets instead make healthy eating a part of your lifestyle.
- Ever wonder why doctors recommend that you consume 6-8 glasses of water daily? Besides keeping the body hydrated and helping cells stay nourished, water flushes out harmful toxins from the body. It also makes the body more efficient at burning fat and utilizing stored insulin, the blood sugar that can lead to diabetes and obesity if accumulated in large amounts.
- One of the essential things to stay healthy is getting a good night’s sleep. Not only does sleep give you the energy you need to work out on a regular basis, it also helps regulate your metabolism, repair your muscles and boost your performance. Aim for at least 7-8 hours each night, and you’ll be a healthier, fitter and a happier person overall.
- While most people let work, family, social engagements and other priorities get in the way of exercise; really fit people make exercise a priority no matter what. Yes, this may mean having to get up 15 minutes earlier when you’d rather be sleeping, working out on vacation, or fitting in a workout even when your life seems busier than you can handle. But once you build up the habit, it actually becomes harder to not exercise because you become so used to prioritizing it in your life.
- Find a fitness partner! Studies have shown if you have someone else pushing you and doing the exercises with you, then it's going to be easier to stay on track. Having a fitness partner helps you stay fit, reach your goals more easily and stay motivated.
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